Folding chair.



Y F. W. ALBERT.

FOLDING CHAIR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1911.

1 6 Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

FLOYD W. ALBERT, OF BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH TO JOSEPH F. TRUMAN AND ONE-FOURTH TO BARONS MILNER, BOTH OF BUTLER,

PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING CHAIR.

"Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

Serial No. 633,217.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FLOYD 1V. ALBERT, citizen of the United States of America, residing at Butler, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Chairs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to folding chairs particularly designed for theaters, auditoriums, concert halls and large buildings where chairs or seats are compactly arranged to provide the largest possible seating capacity, in preserving aisles, exits and spaces re quired by city ordinances and insurance companies.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a chair with a folding seat and arms that are adapted to fold upwardly in proximity to the back of the chair when the chair is unoccupied, thereby providing an aisle of greater width than if the seat of the chair was permanent.

Another object of my invention is to furnish a chair of the above type with simple and efiective means, in a manner as will be hereinafter set forth, for folding the seat and arms of the chair immediately upon the seat of the chair being released of the weight of the occupant.

A further object of my invention is to provide a chair of the above type that is strong and durable, safe to use, inexpensive to manufacture, and highly efficient as a theater chair.

I attain the above objects by a mechanical construction, combination and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the chair showing the seat and arms in a folded position in dotted lines. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the chair. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the back of the chair, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper end of a pedestal of the chair.

A chair in accordance with this invention comprises a circular base plate 1 having the edges thereof provided with a plurality of vertical openings 2, whereby the base plate can be secured to a floor or other support by screws or other fastening means (not shown). The central portion of the base plate 1 is raised and provided with a socket 3, the walls of which are screw threaded, as at 4 to receive the lower exteriorly screw threaded end of a vertical tubular pedestal 5.

Riveted or otherwise connected, as at 6, to the upper rear side of the pedestal 5 is the depending bearing 7 of, a chair back 8. The bearing 7 is recessed, as at 9 to conform to the curvature or the periphery of the pedestal 5, and said bearing has openings 10 to receive the rivets or other fastening means 6. The upper end of the bearing has a forwardly projecting flange 11 and the upper forward edge of this flange has barrels 12. Pivotally mounted between the barrels 12 by a pin 13 is the barrel 14 of a seat 15, said barrel being carried by the upper rear edge of the seat and cotiperating with the barrels 12 and the pin 10 in providing pivotal or hinged members for the seat 15, whereby said seat can be folded upwardly in proximity to the back 8'.

Pivotally connected to the sides of the seat 15, adjacent to the forward edge thereof, as at 16 are arm rest supports 17 having the upper ends thereof pivotally connected, as at 18, to the forward ends of arm rests 19, these rests having the rear ends thereof pivotally connected, as at 20 to the sides of the back 8.

Pivotally connected to the side edges of the seat 15, adjacent to the supports 17, as at 21, are the upper ends of curved braces 22, said braces having the lower ends thereof pivotally mounted upon the ends of a pin 23 arranged transversely of the pedestal 5, the ends of said pin projecting through vertical slots 24: provided therefor in oppositely disposed walls of the pedestal, said slots extending from a point in proximity to the seat 15 to a point approximately intermediate the ends of the pedestal. Connected to the pin 23 within the pedestal is the upper end 25 of a coiled compression spring 26. This spring is adapted to fold the seat 15 and the arms of the chair when the seat is released of the weight of the occupant. Mounted upon the ends of the pin 23 between the braces 22 and the pedestal 5 are spacing sleeves 27.

To firmly support the seat 15 in lowered position, the upper forward edge of the pedestal 5 is provided with a forwardly projecting lip 26 upon which the seat rests when in a lowered position.

The upper end of the pedestal is slightly beveled, whereby the seat 15 will be supported at a slight inclination, and said seat and the back 8 having suitable cushions 28.

From the foregoing it is-apparent that the seat 15 can be easily lowered and 0ccupied, and with the main framework made of strong and durable metal, the seat 15 will be firmly supported and can withstand considerable weight. The pin 23 is limited in its lowering movement by the lower ends of the slots 24, consequently the braces :22 will brace the seat 15 when in use.

The invention is susceptible to such changes as fall within the scope of the appended claim.

lVhat I claim is A folding chair comprising a cylindrical hollow pedestal provided with opposed vertically extending slots, a forwardly projecting and upwardly inclined rectangular lip integral with the front of said pedestal at the top thereof, a back secured to the rear of said pedestal at the top thereof and provided with a forwardly projecting and upwardly inclined rectangular flange seated upon the top of the pedestal at the rear thereof, a seat hinged to said flange and seated upon said pedestal and lip when in a lowered position, a spring controlled means extending through said slots and carried by the pedestal, and braces connected to said seat and to said means.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FLOYD \V. ALBERT. Vitnesses:

A. M. RIDDLE, LEVI M. WISE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

